Chiefs by Stuart Woods Read Free Book Online

want to keep the place quiet, you have to be able to keep ‘em separate from the men.” He moved to the front of the lot. “Now you’ll need a kind of office, and you better make it pretty big, ‘cause you’ll have to work and keep records in there. I’d make it as wide as the building, except for room for a corridor back to the cells. Then you’ll need a waiting room up front that’s as wide as the building. Somebody is always waiting in a jailhouse, and you don’t want ‘em in your working area, where you’ve got files and records and weapons around. You need some benches in there, but don’t make it too comfortable. You don’t want folks waiting around too long.”
    “That’s roughly what I thought would do, Skeeter,” said Will Henry, “but bigger. I think you’re right, though. I’d like to have a sort of window with a counter between the office and the waiting room.”
    “Good idea. I’ve found it’s better to have something, a desk or a counter or something, between you and the public. Makes things a little more official. Might be a good idea to have a little window in the wall between you and the firehouse, too. You’re both going to be shorthanded, and you can cover each other’s phones that way. Make sure, too, Hugh, that you have>separate numbers for the two things. Nothing worse for folks than having a busy telephone when they want to get through to you.”
    “I think that window would be good for the city,” said Holmes. “And Idus Bray will like the idea of two phones. I think we can get this general plan approved on the wave of enthusiasm over our chief’s first day in office.”
    “Another thing, Hugh,” said Skeeter. “You ought to pass some sort of motion giving Will Henry the authority to deputize. He’s by himself here, and he’s going to need help from time to time.” He turned to the new chief. “Will Henry, I’m going to deputize you as a deputy sheriff, the way I have the other chiefs at Warm Springs and Manchester and the rest. That way you won’t have to get me out of bed if you want to chase somebody past the city limits. But be careful how you use the authority. Keep it within the limits of official investigations of crimes committed inside the city limits. Otherwise you’re crossing onto my territory. Raise your right hand. Do you promise to uphold the laws of Meriwether County and the State of Georgia and to do your duty and to wash your face and hands every day and behind your ears where you’re still wet and to be a good boy in general?” Will Henry started to speak. “Good. You’re a deputy. Holmes is a witness.”
    “Has your wife made the speech yet?” Will Henry and Skeeter were alone at the jail site. Holmes had returned to the bank.
    “What speech?”
    “The one about being careful and not getting killed.”
    “Oh, well, yes.”
    “She’s right, Will Henry. You can get killed real easy in your job, and you can get hurt bad even easier.” Skeeter squinted off into the distance. “I’ve been sheriff of Meriwether County for eight years, and I’ve had one deputy killed and one nearly ‘bout killed, beat up so bad he’ll never do a man’s work again. But nobody’s ever laid a hand on me, personally. You want to know why?”
    Will Henry nodded. Skeeter was standing with his considerable weight on his left foot, the one nearest Will Henry, his hands on his hips. Will Henry was standing with his legs apart and his hands shoved into his hip pockets. Skeeter pivoted on his left foot and drove his right forearm hard into the upper part of Will Henry’s abdomen. Will Henry emitted a loud grunt and sat down, hard, on the grass. He sat there, dazed, gasping for breath. Skeeter squatted in front of him and peered into his face concernedly. “That hurt, didn’t it?” Will Henry nodded, still trying for breath. “Now, right now, at this particular moment, you don’t feel like getting up and doing that to me, do you?” Will Henry shook his